Made before the grandiose conceptions of Gance's later J'Accuse, La
Roue and Napoleon, this intimate melodrama about a composer tormented
by fears that his wife is having an affair already displays a formidable
technical accom-plishment and emotional power. Superb photography
by LH Burel (later one of Bresson's cinematographers) illuminates
every detail of the elaborate sets in deep focus, allowing Gance to
illustrate the shifts in his character's feelings through a subtle
spatial awareness, and through nuances of lighting. The editing is
also advanced, and the film further benefits from the dignified lead
performance of Severin-Mars, later to star in J'Accuse.
